Roles Reversed
by TheYoungTimpani
Summary: After returning from Arkansas, the NCIS team is called to investigate a bomb threat at a area hotel. Little do they know that they will end up taking on more than just a case. Sequel to 1,050 Miles from Washington.
1. Lao Tzu

**Chapter 1**

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**Disclaimer: **I actually _do _own all the characters in this chapter, but I do not own NCIS.

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**Author's Note:** This is the sequel to 1,050 Miles from Washington. Like the 1st one, the NCIS people aren't in this chapter and this will introduce you to a few people...but you actually already know them.

It is very short, but I just wanted to establish some things.

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"_The journey of a thousand leagues begins with a single step" – Lao Tzu _

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The letter arrived inconspicuously enough. It went to the manager of the hotel in Arlington, Virginia.

When he opened it, he didn't know whether to believe it or not.

He read and reread the letter. Progressively becoming more and more panicked.

He checked the envelope for a return address. There was an address scrawled on the outside of the envelope.

More shocking than the address, he found a name written with the address.

_Petty Officer First Class Raymond Hopkins_

He threw the letter on his desk and called the authorities.

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"So, you're rooming with Mrs. Davis, huh? You and Stasha are rooming with the _beautiful _and _charming_ Mrs. Davis, huh?" a tall, thin teenage boy asked, leaning against the frame of a hotel room door.

He had short, thick, almost maroon-colored hair; light blue eyes; and his face was pocked with acne scars. He smiled a gigawatt smile and he glowed with natural good-looks.

The person on the other side of the doorway that he was speaking to was a girl. Almost a head shorter than the boy, she had shoulder-length, perfectly straight, light-brown hair and green-gray eyes; which she was rolling at the boy.

"Is that Jack?" an adult's voice called from inside the room.

"Yeah," the girl called back.

"Go away," the adult said as she came to the door. She was tall and average-built with dark shoulder-length hair and brown eyes.

The boy, Jack, flashed another smile at the girl and the woman. "Come on, Mrs. Davis, you know you love me. Besides, I'm rooming with Geek-a-palooza. Geekerino."

"You shouldn't talk about Mr. Lee like that," Mrs. Davis said sarcastically, but with a perfectly straight face.

"Actually, I was talking about Cody, but you have to admit that Mr. Lee is _very _geeky," Jack said.

The girl nodded and Mrs. Davis gave a look and Jack could tell that she agreed.

About that time; a short, thin, pale, red-haired girl came up behind Jack.

"What are you doing?" she asked.

"Talking to Syd and Mrs. Davis. Why?"

"Oh, no reason," the girl huffed, walking away.

Jack looked at Syd and Mrs. Davis with an annoyed look on his face, "She's been like that a lot lately. I can't do anything without telling her and if she doesn't approve, she does that!"

Syd gave him an apathetic look and Mrs. Davis just smirked and walked back into the room.

Jack ran after the girl shouting, "Wait, Logan! Come on! Wait! Logan!"

Syd closed her eyes and sighed in frustration before shutting the hotel room door.

Six of the rooms on the third floor were being occupied by a gifted and talented group from Judson Hill High School in Judson Hill, Arkansas.

Completely oblivious to what was transpiring in the manager's office downstairs, these students and teachers wouldn't have ever expected what was to come.

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**A.N.: **I know that it's short, but it's just the beginning. If you like it, I'll keep going...If not, I might still keep going, just to spite you (I'm joking, by the way).

The quote-thing is my new idea. I was inspired by this fanfic that I read ages ago when I was still addicted to CSI. Every chapter will begin in a quote that is relevant to the chapter.

As this was the beginning of a new journey for some people, I thought that this quote would be relevant. Do you like this idea?

Okay, thanks for sticking with me!

Please remember Aaron, the basis of Justin in the original story. He's drastically improved since when the last chapter of 1,050 Miles was posted, but its looking like he's going to have to make another risky decision very soon.

Please review!


	2. Chinese Proverb

**Chapter 2**

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**Disclaimer: **_These_ are the people I don't own...well, most of them.

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**Author's Note: **Thanks to everyone who followed from the original over and then reviewed, I love reviews! The timing of this story is _not current_. I'll explain later.

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"_To meet an old friend in a distant country is like the delight of rain after a long drought." _

_- Chinese Proverb_

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"Hey," Tony said, walking up behind Ziva. She was standing in the middle of the bullpen, looking at some news story on the plasma.

He wrapped his arms around her waist and nuzzled her hair, "How are you doin', Zee?"

"Tony," she whispered harshly, "We are at work."

"Come on, Zee. Gibbs isn't here and McGeek has his head buried in his work," he whispered back, kissing the top of her head.

"Gibbs will be here any minute, Tony," she replied, relaxing a little in his arms.

They heard the ping of the elevator and they jumped apart, just in time to see Gibbs walking into the squadroom.

He paused to see what two of his agents were watching on the plasma.

"So, how is the 'drought affecting the residents of the Southeast'?" Gibbs read off the screen.

"Uhhh...ehhhh...," Tony stuttered.

"What?" Ziva asked, turning to look at their boss.

"You two are watching it like it's one of Tony's movies," Gibbs motioned to the screen. Gibbs phone rang once and he picked up and looked up toward the director's office. When he hung the phone up, he jogged up the stairs and marched into the office.

"What do you think that was about?" Ziva asked, as Tony rewrapped his arms around her.

"Don't know," he mumbled into her hair.

"What was what about?" McGee asked, looking up from his desk for the first time since they got back from lunch.

"Nothing, McGeek. Just go back to Nerd-land," Tony teased.

McGee rolled his eyes and went back to work.

They heard the office door slam and Tony and Ziva jumped apart again. All three agents watching their boss descending the staircase.

"Grab your gear!" Gibbs shouted, marching into the bullpen.

The agents complied without question and followed Gibbs to the elevator.

"What's the case, Boss?" Tony asked.

"Bomb threat."

"Where at?" McGee asked.

"At a hotel in Arlington."

"And this involves NCIS, because?" Ziva asked.

"The return address on the threat included the name and address of a Navy officer."

"Oh," she replied, still looking a little confused.

They loaded the truck and the three agents climbed in; Tony driving, Ziva sitting very close to Tony in the middle, and McGee on the passenger side. Gibbs took a Charger and led them to the hotel.

When they arrived, there was already a bomb squad on the scene, checking the hotel to make sure the bomb wasn't already there.

Gibbs went to meet with the manager who had opened the letter.

The other three stood there, still not sure why they were there even though the bomb squad was doing most of the work.

The people who had been staying in the hotel were now gathered in the parking lot. From the looks of it, and the fact that it was three o'clock on a summer afternoon, several guests were still out sightseeing.

Tony and Ziva surveyed the group, McGee just kept watching the hotel.

The manager and Gibbs came out of the hotel and the manager began walking around and talking to the people from his hotel.

"So, what's going on, Boss?" McGee asked.

"Letter was sent from a Petty Officer First Class Raymond Hopkins, his address is in Arlington."

"What did it say?" Tony asked.

Gibbs held up an evidence bag containing the letter so that his agents could see it.

The threat was short and blunt. There was no need to guess at what this was. It plainly stated that he intended to blow up the hotel for reasons he didn't explain.

"McGee, you're with me. We're going to Hopkins's house. DiNozzo, you and Ziva stay here and interview the hotel staff. See if anyone-"

"Knows Raymond Hopkins. On it, Boss," Tony responded.

Tony and Ziva made their way through the list of hotel staff, no one knew Raymond Hopkins. Never even heard of him.

By the time they finished the interviews, the parking lot was basically empty except for a few people huddled around a mini-bus.

"So, they're shutting down the hotel until we find the bomber, right?" Tony asked, watching the adults of the group frantically making cell phone calls.

There was something familiar about the group, but they just couldn't put their finger on what it was.

A boy in the group looked up and sat watching Tony and Ziva for a while. He nudged two of his friends. Tony's first instinct was that they were checking out Ziva, so he put his arm around her and held her close to him.

Then he heard someone in the group shout his name in a strangely familiar voice.

"Tony!" one of the boys shouted as he came running over to Tony and Ziva. Two other boys followed closely behind.

Within moments, Tony realized who the boys were. They were Noah, Matt, and Ryan. The boys that he had met and befriended while in Arkansas two months ago.

"Hey, guys," Tony said, before the boys caught him in a bone-crushing hug, "What are you doing up here?"

"School trip," Noah replied, gesturing back to the group he came from.

"Oh," Tony said.

The boys started back to the group and motioned for Tony and Ziva to follow, which they did.

When they got back, they found the group consisted of twelve of the students they had met before and six of the teachers.

"Having a problem?" Tony asked a teacher.

"Ummm, yeah, actually. We were staying in this hotel when it shut down. Now, we're up here 1,050 miles from home and we have nowhere else to go. We've tried calling places, but without an account through our school, we can't get anywhere to stay," the teacher, Karen Robinson, said as she hung up her cell phone.

"Let me try something," Tony said, pulling out his phone.

He walked away from the group. They listened as he negotiated with someone on the other end of the connection. Eventually, he returned to the group with a broad smile.

"I'm your new hero," he smiled.

"You found us a hotel?" Karen asked, getting excited.

"No."

She looked like he had slapped her.

"You're coming with us," Tony said.

"Where to?" a male teacher, Edward Hill, asked.

"Congratulations. You will all be staying in the most exclusive hotel in the DC metro area...NCIS," Tony smiled.

"We're staying in an office building?" a girl asked.

"It;s that or the parking lot. Take your pick," Tony replied.

The group quickly loaded up the van and followed Tony and Ziva back to NCIS.

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**A.N.: **Look! Tiva! I'm so pleased!

Okay, like I was saying. This takes place the May after Justin returns home. I'm pretending like Jenny didn't die until June-ish. So the director here is still Jenny.

Hee hee hee, they're staying at NCIS. I promise this will get better as a gradually bring in all the characters. I think it will end up being pretty cool, if I do say so myself.

Please review!


	3. Samuel Taylor Coleridge

**Chapter 3**

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**Disclaimer: **I do not own NCIS, the agency nor the show...duh.

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**Author's Note: **Writing as Jenny is hard for me to do. I never really payed that much attention to her character...I'm sorry.

I am also sick...so my judgment might be a tad bit impaired.

Enjoy!

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"_Advice is like snow - the softer it falls, the longer it dwells upon, _

_and the deeper it sinks into the mind." - Samuel Taylor Coleridge_

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The director was waiting at the entrance when Tony, Ziva, and the school group arrived. She led them to the break room and told them that they would stay there until further notice. The students and teachers shared confused and nervous looks.

"I'm sorry, where are my manners? Allow me to introduce myself. I'm Jennifer Shepard, director of the Naval Criminal Investigative Service, or NCIS for short. I am as high as you go on the NCIS totem pole. The top of the food chain."

Tony and Ziva shared a look over their director's overly commanding speech.

By this point, the kids looked scared out of their wits and the teachers looked almost as scared.

Jenny flashed a smile and said, "But don't be afraid to approach me with any questions."

This failed to relax the group, so Jenny turned to her agents.

"I want someone here with them at all time," she instructed them.

"Who first?" Tony asked.

"You've got to take something down to Abby?" she motioned to the evidence bag in Tony's hand.

"Yeah," he looked at it, he had almost forgotten that he had the bag.

"Take it. I'll stay for now," Jenny replied softly.

"Director, really, you do not have-" Ziva began.

"I am. Take the evidence to Abby and when Gibbs comes in, handle him," Jenny replied.

"We'll send him down, Director," Tony smiled, heading toward the elevator with Ziva on his heels.

Jenny sat down at a table and watched as the group tried to make themselves comfortable. She took inventory of the group: there were four girls, eight boys, two women, and four men.

Around one table a group of four boys were huddled watching a movie on a laptop computer. One boy was flamboyantly entertaining two laughing girls by telling a story with exaggerated hand motions while another girl looked on disapprovingly. A boy and a girl were setting together, holding hands and talking. One boy was working on a computer at a table with another boy reading a book. The teachers were setting together; some were talking while others were calling people on their cell phones.

The couple holding hands walked over to Jenny.

The boy was tall with blond hair mostly covered by a stocking hat. His eyes were a strikingly familiar shade of bright, light blue. He had wisps of light blond hair on his chin and jawline.

The girl was about a head shorter with a round face. She had shoulder-length brown hair and hazel eyes.

When they got over, their hands separated and the boy asked where the bathroom was, Jenny pointed him down the hall.

"Jessie!" the girl called after him, "I thought you had a serious question."

"It was serious," he grunted back at her.

"That your boyfriend?" Jenny asked.

"Yeah," the girl said before introducing herself, "I'm Ashley Webb. That was my boyfriend, Jessie Landers."

"He reminds me of someone I used to know," Jenny smiled.

"Oh, yeah? Was it a good person?" Ashley asked.

Jenny thought back to an earlier time and a younger Gibbs before responding, "Yeah, he is."

Ashley looked at Jenny a little confused, then she said, "Jessie's a good guy. He's never quiet, but he hides a lot of stuff. I've been with him for almost three months now and I don't even know where he moved to Judson Hill from."

Jenny nodded; Gibbs had been an enigma, too. "Don't worry about it," Jenny advised her, "Sometimes it's best to not know. There are somethings that I wish I hadn't pressed about. When Jessie is ready to talk about it, I'm sure he'll tell you. You're just kids. You've got all the time in the world."

Ashley nodded and smiled, "You know, that's the best advice I've gotten in a long time. My mom doesn't ever say much about it and my dad doesn't approve of me dating anyone, so he doesn't care if my relationship is in trouble..."

"It'll get better," Jenny said, patting the girl's leg. _I hope yours does, at least, _Jenny thought.

About that time, Jessie walked back over and asked, "Hey, Ash, are you hungry? We can split something out of the vending machine."

"Yeah, sure," Ashley stood up and followed Jessie over to the vending machines, she looked over her shoulder and said, "Thank you."

Jenny nodded, she hoped that this relationship might work out better than hers had.

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**A.N.: **I hope you liked this chapter. They're still a little shorter than I'd like them to be, but I'm sick so I couldn't type much longer...ohhhhh...soo sick....

Remember that there is a link on my profile in case you would like to see what the majority of these characters (at least most of the kids) look like.

Please review!


	4. Jonathan Frid

**Chapter 4**

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**Disclaimer: **I do not own it.

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**Author's Note: **I am progressively getting better. Thank you.

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"_I'm constantly watching people. Watching their strengths and weaknesses." - Jonathan Frid_

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The elevator pinged and Tony jumped up to meet Gibbs and McGee as they entered the squad room.

"Hey, Boss. The director's down in the break room. She needs to see you," Tony said quickly, before Gibbs could interrupt him.

Gibbs grunted a reply, threw his stuff down on his desk, and went back to the break room.

"So, Probie, you guys find anything?" Tony asked, turning to McGee, who was now setting at his desk.

"No, the guy abandoned the place. We talked to his C.O., said that Hopkins is AWOL. He also said that Hopkins wasn't the sharpest tool in the shed. So in addition to him actually being the person making the threat, he might also be being framed or used," McGee said.

Tony laughed and smiled a childish smile. He was standing behind Ziva at her desk.

"What?" Ziva asked giving him a scorning look.

"McGeek said 'tool'."

"Come on, Tony," McGee groaned.

"You are so immature," Ziva said, rolling her eyes.

He just smiled again and leaned down to kiss Ziva lightly.

"Oh, come on, guys! Can't you keep your hands off each other for five minutes?!" McGee whined.

"Come on, Probie. If you were getting some of this you couldn't help yourself either," Tony teased, motioning toward Ziva.

Ziva rolled her eyes and playfully punched Tony in the chest.

* * *

Gibbs entered the break room and froze in his tracks. _What the hell is going on here?!_

He looked around the room. There had to be fifteen kids here! He quickly found the director and grabbed her arm.

She turned around to him and opened her mouth to greet him, but he spoke first.

"What the hell is going on here, Jen?" he asked.

She led him out of the break room and explained who the group was and why they were there.

"So I need to be head-slapping DiNozzo for this, then, huh?" Gibbs asked, angrily.

"I am the director, Jethro. It was ultimately _my_ decision to let them stay here and I expect you to respect my decision," she stated with authority, "They aren't bad kids, really, Gibbs. They wouldn't be here if they were."

Gibbs looked into the room and watched the group for a moment before sighing and saying, "You're the director."

She smiled a little and said, "Good. Then you won't object when I tell you to stay here and watch them for a while. I have things to do."

"They can take care of themselves, Jen."

"Do you really want all these people wandering around a federal agency?" Jenny asked.

Gibbs looked at her.

"I didn't think so," she replied with a smile as she turned to leave.

Gibbs went out to the break room and sat at Jenny's vacant seat. He looked around and took inventory of the group.

Five boys and two girls were setting at a table playing poker using potato chips to make their wagers.

At the table with the kids playing cards was another girl who was looking disgustedly at the whole affair.

Two women were setting at a table looking at magazines.

A young man was setting at a table reading a copy of _Sports Illustrated_. Another man was at that table staring off into space and chewing on the end of an ink pen. An older man was also at that table reading a newspaper.

A boy was leaning up against the wall underneath a window, reading a book.

A boy and a young man were setting at a table looking at a laptop computer and discussing something.

Another boy and girl were leaned against the wall, the girl was talking and the boy was watching the card game.

Without a word, the boy walked over and smacked one of the boys in the card game on the back of his head. The boy jumped up and scattered chips and cards all over the table. The first boy motioned to the mess and the second boy backed down and began cleaning up the mess.

Gibbs smirked at the exchange.

The boy continued to walk and leaned up against the wall nearest Gibbs.

"So, wha'd he do?" Gibbs asked.

"He was eating the chips when he won them. It wasn't helping him win, but it made him look like a jackass." the boy said.

Gibbs smirked.

The boy held out his hand and said, "I'm Jessie Landers."

Gibbs shook his hand and said, "Special Agent Gibbs. Nice management skills."

"Thank you, sir. A good head-slap puts 'em back in line everytime," Jessie smirked an almost identical smirk to Gibbs's.

"Is there anyone here that I should be watching?" Gibbs asked, "Any trouble-makers?"

"No one real bad. There's Jack, he's a moron;" Jessie motioned to the boy he had slapped, "and Noah, Matt, and Ryan, they're...somethin';" he pointed to the other boys playing cards, "Syd, she's right up there with Jack;" he motioned to a girl who Jack was throwing chips at; "Cody'll bore you to death with his geek-speak;" he pointed to the boy on the computer, "I guess that's it."

"What about the others?" Gibbs asked.

"Stasha's brother got kidnapped last year, Justin Spencer, she's great, though;" Jessie pointed at the other girl playing cards, "I don't know much about Logan, she's Jack's girlfriend, but things aren't great between them," he pointed at the disgusted looking girl, "Tom's one of my best friends. He's a farm boy; tell you things about goats and cows that you never wanted to know," he pointed to the boy in the floor reading, "And I'm dating Ashley so I've gotta say something nice about her," he smiled pointing to the girl he had been standing with.

"The teachers?" Gibbs asked.

"Mrs. Robinson is in charge, she's...eclectic, she's the art teacher. Mrs. Davis is an English teacher, a little weird," he nodded toward the two women, "Mr. Lee is the biggest nerd in the world. Don't ask him questions, he uses words that shouldn't exist," he nodded toward the man with Cody, "Mr. Anderson is our principal. He is socially awkward, always mumbles, and rarely removes the ink pen from his mouth," he motioned toward the man with the ink pen in his mouth, "Coach Walker is only, like, twenty-something and it's hard to remember that he's a teacher. Basketball coach. He's a good guy, a little weird, but a good guy," he nodded toward the man with the _Sports Illustrated, _"Mr. Hill is a Vietnam vet. A badass ex-Marine, teaches gym and history. Demands strict discipline. He's my hero," he smiled toward the older man reading the newspaper.

"Thanks kid," Gibbs said, "You're my eyes and ears, got it? If you hear anything, tell me."

"You expecting to hear something, Special Agent Gibbs?" Jessie asked.

"Nope. Just need to be prepared," Gibbs replied.

"Like a scout, sir," Jessie smiled and walked away.

Maybe these kids weren't as bad as he thought, Gibbs smiled and watched.

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**A.N.: **Yeah, I know. It was kinda wordy, but I wanted to establish that Gibbs and Jessie were a going to get along. Also, now I've got that out of the way. McGee, Abby, and Ducky won't get the full introductions and Tony and Ziva already know everyone. So, that's done, okay.

Yeah, I'm getting better and I've gotta go to school tomorrow anyways and take the ASVAB...I'll just mark every question "I had foot surgery." That should work, right?

Well, America has successfully sworn in a new president. Welcome back to reality, Bushy! And here's to hoping President Obama does a good job! (It's funny because now the spell check catches the president's name and says it's misspelled...is he the only one? Let me go check...Nope, spell check doesn't like Van Buren either, it says 'Buren' is misspelled.)

This chapter is for Josh, who I based Jessie off of (the last chapter was for Shelby, who I based Ashley on). Please review!


	5. John Oates

**Chapter 5**

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**Disclaimer:** I didn't own it this morning, why would it have changed since then?

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**Author's Note: **Two chapters in one day! Woot!

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"_If it wasn't for music, I doubt whether we'd be friends." - John Oates_

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Gibbs turned toward the doorway when he heard Abby calling his name and running over toward him. "Gibbs! So these are our guests? Wow...there's more of them than I was expecting...," she said, looking around.

" Ya' get anything off the letter, Abs?" he asked.

"Nothing. No fibers, no prints, no latent prints, no DNA on the seal, no extra handwriting. In fact, the handwriting was so...normal, that it's really hard to make an accurate profile of the sender, but Ducky's working on that anyway. This guy really covered his tracks, Gibbs," she said.

"He's being framed," Gibbs grumbled, walking out of the room.

"Hey! Gibbs! I thought someone was supposed to be with these kids at all time!" Abby called after him.

"Handle it, Abby!" Gibbs called back, getting in the elevator.

"'Handle it'?" she said to herself, turning back to the room.

Across the room, Jessie noticed the change in authority and looked curiously at Abby.

Abby stood, awkwardly shifting her weight from one foot to the other.

"Why don't you take a seat?" a man asked coming up beside her.

She glanced quickly over at the man and replied, "That's okay, McGee."

"Who's McGee?" the man asked.

Abby looked again. The man wasn't McGee, but he could have been his brother. He looked almost identical to McGee only he was thinner and maybe a little younger. "Oh! I'm so sorry! You look just like McGee!"

"That's okay, Ms. Scuito," the man smiled shyly.

"...I'm sorry...do I know you?" Abby asked, insecurely.

"Oh! I'm sorry! Where are my manners?! My name is Jeremy Lee and I teach computer classes at Judson Hill High School. My sister is a forensic scientist at the Arkansas State Crime Lab. I have read all about you in _The Journal of Forensic Science_. You are truly brilliant, Ms. Scuito," Jeremy said.

"...Thank you, Jeremy...," Abby said a little worried.

"Please, call me Jem," he began digging around in a messenger bag and pulled out a magazine, "Would you mind autographing this?" he asked, holding out a copy of _The Journal of Forensic Science_ and a felt-tip pen.

"Sure...,"Abby replied, taking the pen and signing the magazine.

"Oh, wow! This is the greatest ever! Thank you _so _much!" Jem said, admiring the magazine.

Abby was afraid that she would have to keep making small talk with the man, but luckily a boy called him over to look at something on his laptop.

Abby turned around and found a girl standing right behind her. They both jumped a little.

The girl was tall and thin, she was dark-complected with dark brown eyes and black hair. She was wearing a black t-shirt that said _I'm not a vegetarian because I love animals- I'm a vegetarian because I hate plants_ and tight black pants.

"Um, hi?"Abby said.

"Sorry, I was just looking at the tat on your neck. I guess I didn't realize how close I had gotten. That's an awesome tattoo," the girl said in a quiet voice.

"Oh, the spider web? Thanks. It hurt like a bitch, but it was worth it. I'm Abby," Abby smiled.

"I'm Stasha. Do you work here? You don't look like a military person," Stasha asked.

"You don't have to be military to work at NCIS. Most of us here are civilians...well, some are _former _military. Why do you ask? Do you want to do forensics?" Abby rambled.

"I used to. I was really into _CSI_and all that stuff, then I wanted to be a lawyer. But I know that my family won't have the money to put me through all that school, so I probably won't get to have that cool of a job," Stasha sighed.

"Aww. Don't say that! I didn't think that I'd ever get to do this either," Abby smiled, patting Stasha's shoulder, "I'm from south Louisiana. Hicktowns."

"I'm from the Ozarks," Stasha rebutted.

"Oh. You've got me beat there...So...Arkansas, huh? Like the Razorbacks?" Abby danced along the topic.

"I hate the University of Arkansas," Stasha stated simply, "I plan on attending Arkansas Tech."

Abby squealed and hugged Stasha, who looked confused.

"So, do you hug everyone like that?" she asked Abby.

"Just when I'm happy. I was raised an LSU fan. My family is anti-Arkansas," Abby explained. Stasha nodded.

"I just don't like the mainstream stuff. Whenever anybody thinks about Arkansas they think about the Razorbacks. There's a whole lot more to the state than that!" Stasha said.

"I usually think about Bill Clinton," Abby confessed.

"Thank you!" Stasha smiled.

Abby and Stasha sat at the table Gibbs had previously occupied. Stasha pulled out an MP3 player and offered Abby an ear bud.

"What are you listening to?" Abby asked cautiously.

"Atreyu, As I Lay Dying, Brain Matter-"

"Brain Matter? You really listen to Brain Matter?! I love Brain Matter!" Abby shouted, taking the offered earbud.

Stasha started the music and Abby looked over and yelled, "I think we might keep you around!"

Stasha looked confused and yelled, "What?!"

"I SAID, I THINK WE MIGHT SHOULD KEEP YOU AROUND!"

"YEAH, I LIKE THEIR SOUND, TOO!"

"NO, I SAID, I THINK WE SHOULD KEEP YOU-" Abby stopped as the earbud was yanked out of her ear and she turned to see the real McGee looking at her confused.

"Hi, McGee!...That is you, right? There's a guy here who looks _just _like you. Oh, this is my new friend Stasha. She likes Brain Matter, can you believe it?! I'm so excited!" Abby said quickly.

"Gibbs sent me down here, he figured you probably want to go back to your lab. I'm supposed to stay with them now," McGee said, looking at Abby funny. It was weird to see her in the break room.

"Can I take Stasha to my lab?" Abby asked.

"I...uh...I...don't...that's not...uhhh...I don't...," McGee stumbled for words.

Abby grabbed Stasha's wrist and took off toward the elevator.

"Come on, Stasha! You've _got _to meet Bert!"

McGee just shook his head.

* * *

**A.N.: **Brain Matter is that band Abby's always ranting about, right?

I know that at a real federal agency this situation would not be handled like this and I know that a fifteen-year-old kid probably wouldn't be able to go into the labs, but I'm expressing my literary freedoms with this one. I'm writing it, so I say it can happen. Neener, neener, boo, boo!

Like I said before: Two chapters in one day! YAY! I'm on a roll!

But I still have to take that stupid military test tomorrow...I plan on being an anthropologist! Just leave me alone! I'm a pacifist! For Pete's sake, I'm wearing a Cubs shirt as I type this while laying on sheets with pictures of sock-monkeys, do I really sound like the kind of person you'd want defending your nation?!...The TV character I am most often compared to is Sheldon Cooper! (If you don't know who he is, look him up on Wikipedia...I even catch myself _walking _like Sheldon from time to time...)

This one is for Sandra, who I based Stasha on. She doesn't actually have the shirt I mentioned (It's a quote from Moby), but she I think she would really like it.

Please review!


	6. General George S Patton

**Chapter 6**

* * *

**Disclaimer: **I don't own NCIS...I just like to hypothesize...

* * *

**Author's Note: **...This chapter was so freakin' hard to write! Nerd crap...I'm just glad I got it over with and it turned out pretty good.

* * *

"_Accept the challenges so that you may feel the exhilaration of victory."_

_-General George S. Patton_

* * *

McGee sat uncomfortably on the edge of a chair and watched a man and a boy looking at a laptop. They were discussing something and every once in a while, one of them would type something.

Finally, curiosity got the better of McGee and he went over to see what they were doing.

The screen displayed a red background with a tiger face in the middle; the page title read, "Judson Hill School District"; and there were several links along the edge of the page.

The boy pointed at a link and said, "So, all the pages are up to date except for the high school page, right?"

The man nodded and clicked on the high school link and pulled up a page, "Yeah, there's nothing on here."

"What about under the 'Club' page?" the boy said, clicking on the link.

"Yeah, we don't even have pages for all the clubs. I really need to get with the sponsors on these. I think the band one was last updated after contest," the man smiled.

"I think that I could update the band page. Do a little write-up about preparations to perform in the Independence Day parade and all that," the boy replied.

"By all means," the man said, moving the computer towards the boy.

"I'm sorry," McGee butted in and the two jumped as they turned to look at him, "I was just looking at this website. Do you guys do that yourself?"

"Yeah, I do most of it, actually. I let some of my computer classes help me on certain pages. Cody's really caught on and he's making some pretty good pages now," the man said, pointing to the boy.

"Did you do this one?" McGee asked, pointing to the band's page.

"Yeah," the boy grinned, putting in a soundbite of the band performing a patriotic march, "I'm Cody Edwards," the boy reached out to shake McGee's hand.

"Special Agent Tim McGee," McGee shook Cody's hand.

"Jem Lee," the man said, shaking McGee's hand.

"You remind me of someone, I just can't tell who," McGee said observing Jem.

Cody looked between the two men and said, "Oh my god! You guys look exactly alike!"

"What?" they both said, turning to the boy.

"No way," McGee said.

"Do we really?" Jem asked.

"Dude, totally," Cody laughed, "Here, let me show you."

Cody picked up a camera and took a picture of the two men than showed it to them.

"See?" he asked as they looked at the photo on the camera screen.

"Whoa," Jem said, eyes wide.

"That's crazy," McGee laughed.

"I told you!" Cody grinned.

"So you work with Abby?" Jem asked McGee.

"Aw, come on, Mr. Lee. Not this again," Cody sighed.

McGee looked from Jem to Cody, confused.

"Yeah, I work with Abby....Why?"

"Mr. Lee thinks she's shexshy," Cody teased.

"Work on the website, Cody," Jem instructed Cody, who complied, "I was just wondering what it's like to work with someone as talented as she is."

"It's great, she's really...great," McGee said suspiciously.

"I read some of her work-"

"I've heard."

"It's really fantastic."

"She's way out of your league."

"What do you mean?"

"You don't have a chance with Abby."

"Why? She not into nerds?"

"Oh, no, she likes nerds...it's just...you don't have a chance."

"Why wouldn't I have a chance."

"Trust me. I've been with Abby-"

"You've been with Abby?!" Jem's eyes grew wide, "What's it like."

"I hope you didn't just ask me what sex with Abby was like."

"You had sex with her?!" his eyes got even wider.

"...She sleeps in a coffin," McGee tried to avoid the question.

"You had sex with Abby Scuito in a coffin?"

"Well...yeah..."

"Oh, gosh...you are _so _lucky."

"I'm not so lucky."

"Whaddiya mean? You've dated Abby. You had sex with Abby."

"But I'm not with Abby anymore. Trust me. You don't stand a chance."

"Is that a challenge?"

"What?"

"I bet you that I can get Abby to agree on going out with me before I leave Washington."

"What?"

"Come on."

"Really?"

"Really."

"You really think that you can do that?"

"It's worth a shot."

"It's on," McGee grinned, aggressively shaking Jem's hand.

"Special Agent McGee?" a voice called from across the room.

McGee looked up and saw a security guard.

"Yes?"

"Director Shepard sent me down to take over the watch for the night. She said that you can go on home."

"Oh. Thanks," McGee grinned at the guard, waved at Cody and Jem and left the room.

Jem didn't stand a chance.

* * *

**A.N.: **Everyone repeat after me: "Is that a CHALL-EEENNNGE?!?!"

...Stink-O-Man...I loves me some Homestar Runner.

Yeah, so there's a challenge going down. A geek battle royale. Nerd smack-down. Iss gon' be baaaad!

NERD FIGHT!!!

And that's all I've got...

It's all ice-stormy outside...I don't think we'll go to school tomorrow...maybe I can write another chapter!

I want to write more Tiva! Really! I'm ready for some Tiva! Anyone else ready for some Tiva?

Hey. Hey. HEEEYY!!! You know that Photobucket link on my profile? Go to my profile, go to my Photobucket, click on the "Roles Reversed" album, then go to the "Illustrations" sub-album. I drew all the kids!

This one is for Buster, who I based Cody off of. Yay, Buster!

Please review!


	7. Jimmy Buffett

**Chapter 7**

* * *

**Disclaimer: **I don't own it.

* * *

**Author's Note: **Sorry it's taken so long to update. Had some writer's block.

* * *

"_If we weren't all crazy, we'd just go insane."_

_- Jimmy Buffett_

* * *

Tony was packing his backpack and preparing to leave, he was the only one left in the squadroom.

He heard footsteps and looked up, but when he looked up he didn't see anyone.

"Boss?" he called. No one answered.

He shrugged and went back to packing his bag. He heard footsteps again, this time they were closer.

"Alright, Zee, is that you?...Really, Ziva, come on out....Very funny, Zee-Vah...Come on...," he started getting nervous.

No one made anymore noises. The room was perfectly silent.

Tony leaned over his desk to look around the room when a face popped up inches from his own. Tony screamed and jumped back, "WHAT THE HELL!"

"Hey," Jack laughed, standing at the edge of Tony's desk.

Tony rubbed his head in frustration, "Jack, what are you doing up here? I thought you guys were supposed to stay downstairs."

"Yeah, well, the teachers think I went to the showers."

"What do you want, Jack?"

Jack reached into his pocket and pulled out a wad of cash and a piece of paper, "We have some demands."

"Who is 'we', exactly?"

"Me, Syd, Matt, Noah, Ryan...you know, the good kids," Jack smiled a thousand-watt smile.

"What are your 'demands', Jack?" Tony groaned.

"Ahem," Jack cleared his throat and began to read, "A six-pack of Dr. Pepper, two six-packs of Mountain Dew, an Arnold Palmer...whatever the hell that is, a five-pound bag of Sour Patch Kids, a bag of Funyons, a bag of Cheetos, a bag of Spicy Sweet Chili Doritos, and a six-pack of chocolate pudding...and some plastic spoons."

"Just give me the list," Tony sighed, taking the list and the money from Jack.

"Tony, I love you, man," Jack grinned, walking back toward the stairs.

"You owe me, kid," he called, Jack just waved.

* * *

Tony walked into the building the next morning with four bags loaded full of snacks, mumbling under his breath about 'some kid turning him into their snack-mule'.

Gibbs caught him on the elevator and glared pointedly at the sacks, "You're with the kids until they leave this morning."

"Leave?" Tony asked, looking confused. Were they going already?

"Yeah, they're here to tour the city. They're going out to tour the city. We're keeping a security guard with them," Gibbs said.

"Yeah, okay," the elevator stopped at the breakroom and Tony left.

When he walked in, Jack jumped up in his face and yanked the bags out of his hands and ran back to a table in the corner.

"Hey! You guys owe me $3.79!" Tony shouted across the room. They ignored him.

He marched over to the table and slammed his hands down on the table and they all looked up at him.

"Yeah?" Matt asked, half of a Funyon hooked on his lip and a Dr. Pepper in his hand.

"I said that you guys owe me three dollars and seventy-nine cents," Tony said.

"Okay," Ryan replied, using pudding to stick a spoon to his nose while he opened a can of Mountain Dew.

"Pay up," Tony demanded.

"We will," Noah said, stuffing his mouth with Cheetos.

"Come on!" Tony shouted, throwing his arms up in the air.

"Don't got no money," Jack replied putting a handful of Sour Patch Kids in his mouth.

"You came all the way to DC, but you don't have any money?" Tony asked, sceptically.

"Uh-huh," Jack nodded before licking the sour powder off his hand and scrunching up his face.

"Idiot," Tony mumbled, "_Money!_"

Syd ate one of the Doritos and made a panicked face and took a tall can and gulped down some of the contents.

"Hot, Syd?" Jack laughed.

"Just shut up and give the man his money," Syd rolled her eyes.

Jack pulled some money out of his back pocket and threw it at Tony.

"Thank you," Tony said, grabbing the money off the table.

"Bus is here! Come on, guys, hurry up!" Mrs. Robinson called to the students.

The kids stood up and followed the teachers out of the room and Tony went back upstairs.

"Good morning, My Chazir," Ziva said walking past him and giving him a quick kiss on the cheek.

"Hey, Zee," he smiled at her as she walked over to her desk.

Gibbs stormed into the bullpen, coming between Tony and Ziva's desk.

"McGee, Hopkins's computer is down in Abby's lab. Go see if you can help her get anything off of it," Gibbs barked.

"Got it, Boss," McGee said, going to the elevators down to Abby's lab.

"DiNozzo, David; go through Hopkins's phone records and see if you can find anything."

"On it, Boss."

"Yes, Gibbs."

Then Gibbs stormed up the stairs and into MTAC.

Ziva pushed her chair behind Tony's desk and sat very close to him, watching over his shoulder as he brought up the phone records.

Several long, grueling hours later; Tony and Ziva managed to clear all but one of the callers on the list.

Gibbs marched in and asked, "What have you got?"

"All the calls going out were clear, Boss," Tony replied.

"What about coming in?" Gibbs asked.

"Just getting to that, Boss," Tony replied, putting the records up on the plasma.

"There was one call that could not be verified," Ziva said, taking the remote from Tony and isolating a phone number.

"Trace it," Gibbs demanded.

"Already have, Boss," Tony said.

Ziva pulled a piece of paper off of his printer and read, "It was a cell phone registered to a 'Rusty Shackleford'."

"Fake name, Boss," Tony replied.

"Get an address," Gibbs said.

"Got it, Boss," Tony said, taking the paper out of Ziva's hands.

"2114 Rainey Street...Arlen, Texas...Boss, it's a fake address," Tony groaned.

"Do they sell cell phones to any idiot with a fake I.D. these days?" Gibbs snapped going back to his desk as his phone rang.

The conversation was short and he hung up then turned to Tony and said, "Get back down there. Stay until the kids go to dinner at 7:00."

Tony groaned loudly and Ziva smirked at him.

Tony entered the breakroom and sat down at a table. Jack came over and sat next to him.

"Hey, man, how's it going?" Jack grinned.

"Wel-"

"I am great. Awesome day. We went to the Smithsonian. The Air and Space Museum, the Museum of Natural History, and the Museum of American History. Did you know that Abe Lincoln had a really little head? And Mr. Rodger's mom hand-knitted all of the sweaters he wore on the show? Yeah...Hey, Syd! Syd! Bring your postcard over here!" Jack interrupted Tony.

Syd walked over and showed them a postcard with a picture of the Smithsonian Castle on it. Jack pointed to a tree over to the side of the building and said, "I totally pissed all over that tree."

Tony looked at him, Jack had a smile across his face. Syd had her head in her hands.

"You're joking, right? Tell me he's joking," Tony looked at Syd.

"I wasn't there, but he wasn't lying. He does crap like that. He peed on the Field Museum in Chicago," Syd groaned.

"I didn't crap, I peed. Get it right," Jack laughed.

"What time is it?" Tony moaned.

Syd checked her cell phone, "6:30."

"How long until you guys leave?" Tony asked.

"Don't you like spending time with us, Tony?" Jack asked.

"You pee on buildings!" Tony shouted.

"Not just buildings!" Jack laughed maniacally.

Tony looked at him in awe.

"Yeah, when we went on a trip to Fayetteville he begged Mrs. Robinson to stop the car so he could pee in the Bobby Hopper Tunnel," Syd replied.

"What?! Why?" Tony looked at the boy incredulously.

"I wanted to know if pee had an echo."

"What? Why? How would you even tell in a tunnel? They're really loud...You're not right," Tony shook his head.

"Come on, guys! Let's go to supper!" Mrs. Robinson called.

The kids all ran to the elevator and the boys fought to get in the first car.

Tony ran up the stairs just in time to run into Gibbs as he walked to the elevator.

"I'd recommend the stairs, Boss," Tony called.

Gibbs looked at him strangely, but went to the stairway.

"What's going on, Zee?" Tony asked, looking over the partition at Ziva.

"Gibbs told us to go home, we weren't getting anywhere on the case," she replied, shutting down her computer.

He went to his desk to do the same and asked, "Couldn't find an address on 'Rusty'?"

"McGee and Abby were working on it, but got nowhere. So Gibbs sent us home," she stated, packing her backpack.

"Wanna go out tonight?" he asked, packing his own bag.

"Where?" she asked, looking up.

"I don't know...The new Indiana Jones movie is playing. How 'bout we watch that then get a late dinner?" he offered.

"Sounds great," she smiled, standing up, "I need to go home and change first, though."

"'K, I'll pick you up around eight, okay?" Tony asked.

"Alright. See you then," she grinned and walked away.

He finished packing his backpack and left, too.

* * *

**A.N.: **There! Took me long enough, huh?

The snacks bit, all of those (except Mountain Dew) are my favorite snacks...and that is so much like something Walker would do.

For those who don't know, an Arnold Palmer is a drink that is half-iced tea and half-lemonade. It's awesome!

Yeah! _King of the Hill _reference! Rusty Shackelford is the alias Dale Gribble uses when he orders pizza, applies for permits, petitions the city council, and when he was in the lawnmower focus group. It is also the name of the "hostage" he took in one episode (there was no hostage, he just was saying that to make himself sound tougher and get more attention from the police). Rainey Street is the street that the Hills, and maybe the Gribbles, live on and they live in the town of Arlen, Texas.

Yeah, Walker really has peed on the Field Museum and tried to make us stop in the Bobby Hopper Tunnel so he could pee...so, he would totally pee on the Smithsonian.

This story is set in last May so that should explain why there was a "new" Indiana Jones movie.

This story is for Walker, the inspiration for Jack. Also for the people that were constantly chatting with me while I was trying to write this: Josh, Victoria, Chad, and Stephanie.

Please review!


	8. John Mayer

**Chapter 8**

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**Disclaimer: **I don't own it

* * *

**Author's Note: **I was home sick and decided to write another chapter. Enjoy.

* * *

"_Fathers be good to your daughters_

_Daughters will love like you do"_

_- John Mayer_

* * *

After dinner, Tony drove Ziva back to her apartment. When he parked, she looked over at him, "Would you like to come in for a while?"

He smiled at the look in her eyes and was pretty sure where 'a while' would lead, "Sure, thanks."

He got out and ran around to open her door for her and grabbed her hand as she stood up. Together they walked up to her door. She froze as she went to unlock her door.

"What is it?" Tony asked.

"Shh," she hissed, reaching for her gun, "Someone's here."

"What?" he whispered, realizing that he hadn't brought a weapon...of course, she had.

She opened the door and looked into the dark apartment and took a cautious step inside with Tony on her heels.

Scanning the room, she called out, "Who is here?!"

A light in her kitchen flicked on, revealing a man leaning against her counter.

"What are you doing here?" she spat at the man.

"I have heard terrible rumors, Zivaleh," the man said in a heavily accented voice.

"They are none of your business," she replied in a threatening tone.

"As they are dealing with one of my officers, they are very much my business," he said coolly, "Even more so considering that the officer in question is also my daughter."

"He's your father, Zee?" Tony whispered. She gave a tiny nod in response before her father shouted, "You do not talk!"

"Don't you dare speak to Tony that way!" Ziva shouted.

"Why is he here?" Ziva's father demanded.

"Because we are dating," she replied softly.

"So, the rumors are true," Deputy Director David said disapprovingly.

"What rumors?" Ziva asked.

"That you have been seduced by an American playboy who is using you for sex. You have forgotten all your training, Officer David."

"That is a lie!" Ziva hissed, "Tony loves me!"

"Does he now?" Eli David said, walking over to Tony.

"Don't you dare touch him," Ziva warned.

"I will do what I please, Ziva!" Eli shouted at her.

The anger inside Tony swelled with ever shout that Eli made at his daughter. No one did that to his Ziva. But he knew better than to move, it would only make the situation worse.

Eli circled Tony like a beast circling its prey. Tony watched his cautiously, looking over at Ziva from time to time.

Ziva was glaring fire at her father. Every look sent daggers into his chest. There was no mercy between the two Davids. The saddest thing of all, to Tony, was that both were acting out of love. Ziva was protecting Tony, out of her love for him; Eli was trying to protect Ziva, out of his love for her.

Eli grabbed Ziva's arm tightly and pulled her toward the door, "We are going. You should not be around this lowlife any longer. You disappoint me, Ziva."

When he heard that, Tony knew he couldn't resist any longer. Without even thinking about what he was doing, he grabbed Eli by his collar. It took all of his willpower to not hit the man.

Eli glared into Tony's eyes and said softly and full of anger, "Put me down."

"Don't _ever _do that to Ziva again," Tony hissed, throwing Eli's chest away from him.

They stayed in each other's faces.

"You will _not _tell me how to handle my daughter."

"Don't you dare ever tell Ziva that she is a disappointment. Damn it, she is the greatest thing in the world."

"You do not know everything, Agent DiNozzo," Eli said with a sick smile on his face.

"I don't need to. I love Ziva and I'd be there for her no matter what she's done. Something that you obviously can't say."

"I love my daughter, that is why she cannot stay with you. You have made her weak."

"Unlike you, I can love Ziva when she is weak."

"But you cannot love her if she is dead."

"Are you threatening her?!" Tony demanded.

"Weakness leads to death, you know that, Anthony."

"She's not weak. She could kick any ass in the world and, damn it, you know that. You just don't want her to have anyone else in her life."

"She already has someone else in her life."

"Does she now?"

"It has been arranged since childhood between our families. She cannot have you, DiNozzo."

"Well, you know what? She _has _got me," Tony said forcefully.

"She will notkeep you, DiNozzo. She knows where she is needed," Eli smiled sickly, giving a look at Ziva before he left the apartment.

Ziva walked over and held on to Tony like her life depended on it. He held her back, just as tight.

She mumbled, "I'm sorry. I love you," over and over into his chest.

He whispered, "It's okay. I love you," into her hair until she was silent.

Tony carried Ziva over to her couch and they lay down together.

"What was he talking about, 'someone else in your life'?" Tony asked.

He felt her draw in a deep, shaky breath before saying, "It's his fault..."

"You don't have to tell me, Ziva."

"No, I do," she raised up to look him in the eye, "Back in Israel, there was a family that was very wealthy and politically powerful. It was my father's only desire to get in with them. To share their power. He was overjoyed when they had a son near the time I was born. He arranged for us to be married, not common in Israel, but it would accomplish his goal. As I got older, I tried to like Michael. Really. My father just kept pushing us closer and closer together. Every time I would be in, he would send us out on extravagant dates. I knew that neither me nor Michael felt anything. We were very good friends and didn't want anything more. Michael is gay, he told me on one of the dates that my father set up. He hates the whole situation. Michael is my best friend, but my father is not happy with that. He thinks that Michael is just 'testing' me by claiming to be homosexual...He is not. Michael lives with his boyfriend, Chaim, they are very much in love...My father cannot see that though...he will not leave well enough alone...I love you, Tony."

"I love you, too, Zee," Tony gave her a light kiss before she rested back down on his chest.

When he heard her begin to snore, he picked her up and carried her to the bed. He pulled back the covers and lay down beside her, watching her sleep.

He realized that she had been through a lot of shit in her life and through most of it she had been alone. Tony vowed, silently, to never let her go through anything alone ever again.

He finally took her into his arms and curled up together and fell asleep. This hadn't been what he was planning to do in her bed that night, but he knew that it was what she needed the most.

* * *

**A.N.: **The quote at the beginning actually is a song lyric...shhh...don't tell. It's from John Mayer's _Daughters_.

I've had this chapter planned (quote and all) since I started writing this fic. This is the first chapter that I didn't have to look up the quote for.

Oh! Zing! Betcha didn't see that bit coming! I totally brought Rivkin in and made him gay!...No, I don't think he'll actually be gay, but I can totally see that whole "arranged marriage for Eli's power" thing. Eli strikes me as very power-hungry. Now, don't hate him too much here. He was acting out of what he thinks is love. Like an early Ziva, my Eli doesn't quite understand love and emotion.

I know this one is heavier than the rest of the fic has been, but I think this is getting back to the style if the first fic...and people really seemed to like that one.

Please review!


	9. Ed Bradley

**Chapter 9**

* * *

**Disclaimer: **I don't own NCIS, but I do "own" the Judson Hill people.

* * *

**Author's Note: **I hope that this stays with the mojo I had going from the last chapter. Please, enjoy!

* * *

_He was like a father to me. I was closer to him than I was my father _

– _Ed Bradley_

* * *

They arrived at work at the same time and a few moments too late.

"David," Gibbs barked, "Your turn. Downstairs."

"Hey, Boss, you sure you wanna do that?" Tony laughed.

"Why wouldn't I be, DiNozzo?" Gibbs said in a half-growl, as if daring Tony to continue.

He did, "Have you ever watched the first half of _The Pacifier_? Or, more accurately, the scene in the children's salon in _You Don't Mess With the Zohan_...I don't know if it's wise to mix assassins and children," Tony laughed.

"Shut up, Tony," Ziva sighed.

"Do what your girlfriend says, DiNozzo," Gibbs said with a smirk.

"What?! Gibbs, we haven't- How did you-" Tony sputtered.

"It was a- Who told-" Ziva did the same.

"For God's sake, McGee knew about it. You don't think that I haven't noticed? Keep it out of the office...and my face," Gibbs demanded.

Tony and Ziva smiled at him. He shook his head. Why did love have to turn people into morons?

"Downstairs, David," Gibbs warned.

"Right, on it, Boss," she said, turning on her heel and going back down the stairs.

"DiNozzo, conference room, now," Gibbs demanded.

"Yeah, Boss," Tony complied, going to the elevator.

Gibbs walked in and flipped the emergency switch on the elevator and the lights turned off.

"You wanna tell me why I'm the last to know about you two's little secret romance?" Gibbs said calmly, not looking at Tony.

"Well, actually, I don't think the director knows," Tony corrected.

"Oh, she knows," Gibbs said, shooting a look at Tony.

Tony gave a panicked look and squeaked, "Really?"

"Yeah, really. Abby knows?"

"First to find out."

"Ducky?"

"Second."

"Ziva's father."

"Well, you see...that was a problem."

"You haven't told him," Gibbs concluded.

"Oh, we told him...he was _not _happy...He said that Ziva was a disappointment."

"If my daughter brought you home, I'd tell her she could do better, too."

"That's not the reason."

"You wanna tell me what happened?" Gibbs demanded more than asked.

"We went out last night, when we got back to her place, he had broken in and was waiting on us. He said that I was using Ziva for sex...god, that couldn't be further from the truth...Then he grabbed her and told her that she was a disappointment and tried to take her away. And I...I grabbed him."

"You manhandled the Deputy Director of Mossad?" Gibbs said incredulously.

"Well, I wasn't really thinking about that at the time, but yeah...I did," Tony mumbled, "He said she was weak and that weak people are killed...Boss, I don't- How could he- I don't get it."

Tony sank to the floor and put his head in his hands.

"Hey, you don't have to worry about that anymore," Gibbs said, kneeling down to Tony's level.

"What if he comes back? What if he does something to her? What if he takes her away? Boss, I can't let anything happen to her," Tony began to panic.

That was one thing that Tony did unlike most people. He didn't cry when most people would cry. He panicked. His eyes would shoot open wide, he would curl up in the fetal position and rock, but he wouldn't cry.

Here Tony was, clutching his knees and staring at Gibbs with his eyes as wide as humanly possible.

"What do I do, Boss?" he asked weakly.

Gibbs didn't know what to say. He blinked once and thought about the trust that Tony was showing him right now.

"You take care of her and you don't panic," Gibbs stated matter-of-factly.

Tony nodded and slowly his breathing returned to normal.

Once Tony had calmed down all the way, Gibbs flipped the switch and doors opened to the breakroom and Ziva.

* * *

Ziva had ran down the stairs and into the breakroom.

When she got in, she sat down at a table where Syd was tying her sneakers.

"Where are you going today?" Ziva asked her.

"The National Zoo in the morning, then lunch, then the Holocaust Museum," Syd replied, looking up and smiling at Ziva.

They heard shouting and turned to look at its source. It was Jack and Logan.

"What's going on there?" Ziva asked.

"They've been like that for the past few days. Its only a matter of time before they break up. Jack told me the other day that he's ready for it to all be over," Syd explained, not taking her eyes off the couple.

Jack stormed across the room and Syd got up and stopped him, "Jack, what's wrong?"

"It's over! I'm tired of dealing with it! This is the sixth time we've broke up _this year_! It's not worth it anymore! We have nothing in common! She won't even let me have other girls as friends!" Jack yelled, not at Syd, just to let off steam.

"You deserve better," she told him.

"I'm glad somebody thinks so," he said bitterly.

"Don't be that way, Jack," Syd said, putting a hand on her friend's shoulder, "She's not worth getting this worked up over."

Jack smiled and asked shyly, "You wanna hang out at the Zoo? We can go see the pandas."

"I like pandas," Syd smiled back.

"I knew you did...Logan said they were ugly."

"Don't worry about what Logan thinks."

"You are so right. I'm sorry," Jack smiled, Mrs. Robinson called all the students and Jack laughed, "Let's go see those pandas."

Syd waved at Ziva as she followed Jack out of the room.

Ziva went to the elevators and hit the button and waited for a while.

If the elevators were taking this long, it could only mean one thing. Gibbs was in 'conference'. Someone was in trouble.

Oh, god. What if it was Tony. What if Gibbs knew about them. Oh, god. They were dead.

The elevator doors opened and Ziva found herself face-to-face with Gibbs, looking behind him she saw Tony.

"Damn it," she whispered and Gibbs smirked.

She got in the elevator and Gibbs flipped the switch again.

"DiNozzo tells me that the two of you had an encounter with your father last night, Ziva," Gibbs said.

"Yes," she replied emotionlessly.

"He said that it was pretty bad. You wanna tell me what happened?"

"You said that Tony has already told you, why would I-"

"From your point-of-view, Officer David," Gibbs said, pointedly.

She nodded, "When we arrived at my apartment, he was waiting on us. He told me that Tony did not love me. He grabbed me and tried to take me away...He called Tony a lowlife. Tony grabbed him, to protect me. Then he brought up this stupid arranged marriage-"

"Arranged marriage?" Gibbs demanded.

"It is never going to happen. My father wanted it for power. The man is gay and in love with someone else. I am with Tony...but my father cannot see that...He says that I am a disappointment," Ziva was on the verge of tears.

Tony moved to hold her, but Gibbs beat him to it.

Gibbs held Ziva and let her cry against his jacket. He whispered, "You could never be a disappointment, Ziver."

She smiled through her sobs and spoke the words that she could never say to her real father, "Toda, aba."

* * *

**A.N.: **So, there you have it! Gibbs now knows about the power couple. I hope that you guys like the way I had him react to the situation...or rather _not _react to the situation.

So, the kids are going to the National Zoo and the Holocaust Museum...the two places that I wish I'd had more time to spend at when I went on a school trip to DC...There will be more on that later.

Oh! Speaking of the kids, Jack and Logan are over. Is that cool? Is everyone okay with where that's going?

There will be more case-stuff in the next chapter, then the kids'll be back, and then a McGee/Jem nerd-down. Yeah...

As for the ending, I hope you guys liked that. I've always thought that Gibbs made a very good father figure for Ziva. (She says: Thank you, father) If you notice she never calls Eli anything that shows affection, but then she calls Gibbs 'aba'...so, that's supposed to be a deep and profound statement on her relationships with both Gibbs and her father...If you want it to be...


	10. Shunryu Suzuki

**Chapter 10**

* * *

**Disclaimer: **I do not own NCIS

* * *

**Author's Note: **This is a big case chapter...well except for the end. If you read nothing else of this, read the end! Big changes here...big changes

And, yeah, it is kinda long...

* * *

"_Without accepting the fact that everything changes, we cannot find perfect composure. But unfortunately, although it is true, it is difficult for us to accept it. Because we cannot accept the truth of transience, we suffer."_

_- Shunryu Suzuki_

* * *

"Tell me you've got something, Abs," Gibbs said, striding into Abby's lab where she and McGee were huddled over a computer.

"Nothing on Petty Officer Hopkins's computer," McGee answered.

"What about the cell phone?" Gibbs asked.

"That's where it gets interesting, Bosserino," Abby smiled, pulling something up on her plasma.

As Gibbs went to look at the screen, he left a Caff-Pow on her table, she smiled big and picked it up.

"What is it, Abby?" Gibbs asked impatiently.

"Well, the cell phone carrier isn't a real predominant carrier in this region. Alltel is more of a Southern thing, so that was the first clue to look out of the state. It was prepaid and bought by a 'Rusty Shackleford' another thing that led us to the South-" Gibbs cut her off with a look.

"Rusty Shackleford is the alias that Dale Gribble, on the TV show _King of the Hill, _uses. The show is more popular in the South than-"

"Abby."

"Right. Then there was the number. The area code, 501, is a central Arkansas prefix-"

"Arkansas?"

"It gets better...or worse...The prefix is one reserved for cell phones in the Searcy area," Abby smiled.

"They're targeting the kids," McGee said.

"Or it is one of them," Gibbs said, "Find out where the phone was bought."

Gibbs started to leave, but Abby called out.

"I've already done that Gibbs. Wal-Mart store #157, 3509 East Race Avenue; Searcy, Arkansas," Abby grinned bigger.

"Anything else, Abs?"

"Paid with cash. Gave his name and address as-"

"Shackleford, yeah," Gibbs said, he leaned over and kissed Abby's forehead then marched out of the room.

"I am _so _his favorite," Abby smiled at McGee.

"Spoiled brat," McGee teased.

"Timmy!" she shouted, throwing a latex glove at him. He ducked, but it still landed on the top of his head and Abby laughed.

* * *

"We've got something," Gibbs announced, striding into the bullpen, "DiNozzo, get the number for Wal-Mart store #157 in Searcy, Arkansas."

"This goes back to Arkansas, Boss?" Tony asked.

"The cell phone was bought at that store three weeks ago," Gibbs said, "Someone at the cell service desk had to activate that phone for them. Find out if they remember selling a phone to-"

"'Rusty Shackleford', got it, Boss," Tony said, looking up the phone number then calling.

"Gibbs, you have a problem," they looked up to see Director Shepard standing at the end of the bullpen.

"And what would that be, Director?" Gibbs asked.

"Petty Officer First Class Raymond Hopkins was wounded today...in Iraq...where he has been stationed for the past eight weeks," she said.

"Well then why did someone claiming to be him send a bomb threat to a hotel?" Ziva said.

"I don't know, but Hopkins was a part of a mission that was going in and helping rebuild Iraqi schools. It's been getting a lot of attention lately and he has been interviewed by several newspapers and news networks," Jenny said, pulling up ZNN on the plasma and the story about Hopkins being wounded in a ambush at a school in Northern Iraq.

Gibbs froze and looked at the screen, "Are they bringing him to the States?"

"Germany," Jenny answered.

"Can we get an MTAC feed?"

"As soon as he's out of surgery and awake."

"Good. We need to talk," Gibbs turned away from the plasma and looked at Tony who was hanging up the phone.

Jenny left the bullpen to go arrange the MTAC conference.

"DiNozzo," Gibbs ordered him to speak.

"It just so happened that the girl who was working the counter was in today. So I talked to _Veronica_," Ziva glared at him, he smirked and continued, "she said that she didn't remember much about 'Rusty' except that he was 'really cute' and had 'like good hair' and was wearing a windbreaker with a tiger on it," Tony said mocking the, obviously teenage, girl.

"What's Judson Hill's mascot?" Gibbs asked.

"The tigers," Ziva answered as she and Tony shared looks of epiphany.

"Where are the kids right now?" Gibbs asked.

"They were going to the National Zoo and then the National Holocaust Museum," Ziva recalled.

"When they get back, we're gonna talk," Gibbs stated as he left the bullpen, going up the stairs.

"Do you think its one of them?" Tony asked.

"I do not know. Do you think that Gibbs thinks that it is one of them?" Ziva asked, watching Gibbs storm into the Director's office.

"I don't know," Tony turned to watch as the heavy, metal door slammed shut.

Gibbs threw open the door to Jenny's office as Cynthia shouted at him. Just as he entered, Jenny hung up the phone and looked at him.

"Is nothing sacred to you, Jethro?" she asked, smirking.

He looked at her with his own version of confusion.

"You always invade my inner sanctum," she explained herself. He just gave her an impatient look.

"Have you set up the MTAC?"

"In one hour."

"Fast surgery."

"Slow news."

He smirked at her.

"Do you think one of these kids did this?" Jenny asked.

"Nope."

"One of the teachers?"

"I don't know much about them. I know one that didn't do it."

"Already? You haven't even interviewed anyone," Jenny said in disbelief, "I knew your gut was good, but this is ridiculous."

"Clerk said he had nice hair, one of the teachers is bald," Gibbs smirked again. Jenny smiled at him.

"Damn it, Jethro, always the little things," she said in a half-laugh.

He shrugged and left the office.

"Going into the MTAC room and sitting there won't make the hour pass any faster, Jethro," Jenny called after him.

"Should we go to MTAC?" Ziva asked, watching Gibbs walk from Jenny's office and into MTAC.

"Oooh, I'm thinking, no. Never crash an MTAC party. They get pretty nasty," Tony said, watching the same thing.

"How long do you think he'll be in there?" Ziva asked.

"An hour, hour and a half at the least. Probably two hours," Tony estimated, turning away to look a Ziva.

"What do we do until then? Anything that could give us a lead is either in Germany, Arkansas, or Abby's lab," Ziva asked.

"Well, I can think of something we could do," Tony said, raising his eyebrows conspiratorially.

"Tony, we were instructed to keep it out of the office," Ziva warned.

"Then we could go out to one of our cars," Tony said, making his way across the aisle to Ziva's desk.

"Mmm, Tony," she smiled up at him, "Do you really think that would be a wise decision?"

He leaned across the desk and dangerously close to her face, "No, but it sounds like a hell of a lot more fun than just sitting here on our asses for the next two hours."

"You're terrible, Tony," she growled up at him as she leaned up to kiss him.

"What happened to 'not in the office', Officer David?" Tony teased.

She didn't answer, instead she grabbed his tie and pulled him down to give her a much deeper kiss.

He came around her desk so that he could be closer to her and before long, a heated make out session had broke out behind her desk.

They didn't even hear when Abby and McGee came into the bullpen, looking for something to do.

"Oh my god, Timmy, look!" Abby whisper-shouted, pointing behind Ziva's desk.

McGee craned his neck to look and then jerked back, "I could have gone my entire life without seeing that."

Abby smacked McGee across the stomach, "You're just jealous that you're not getting that kind of action."

"No, but I am a little weirded out that you enjoy watching out coworkers make out," McGee said.

"Lots of people like watching other people make out, Timmy," Abby stated, "If they didn't, then why would they make pornos?"

"_I _don't like watching my coworkers make out," McGee corrected.

"But it's so sweet," Abby cooed.

"There is _nothing _'sweet' about watching Tony and Ziva play tonsil-hockey," McGee replied.

"You are so negative!"

"There is nothing negative about not wanting to watch my coworkers do everything except _actually _having sex behind Ziva's desk."

"But they're in love!"

"I don't care! It's gross!"

"Love isn't gross!"

"No, but watching this is. They're going at it like rabbits in clothing over there! It's not normal!"

"What about sex isn't normal?"

"Abby! They're in the middle of the bullpen!"

"They aren't _technically_-"

"I don't care. I don't want to see it."

"Then stop it."

"They'd kill me."

"Tony wouldn't kill you...Ziva might kill you."

"I'm coming between Tony and a female, he would kill me."

"I know how to stop it."

"I thought you liked it."

"Everything has it's limits, Timmy. They're starting to take their clothes off."

McGee looked over and quickly looked back, "Yeah, Tony really needs to do something about that body-hair...it's not normal."

Abby smirked then shouted, "Hi, Gibbs!"

Ziva and Tony both jumped up, trying to look as normal as possible.

Tony was frantically rebuttoning his shirt and trying to get his tie back under his collar. His hair was sticking straight up all over; his face was red and he was breathing heavy.

Ziva refastened her belt and tried to straighten her shirt. Her hair had been pulled out of its ponytail and hung down as a crazy tangle of curls surrounding her face. Like Tony, her face was red and she was breathing raggedly.

"Boss, we were just-...Where's the boss?" Tony said, looking around.

Abby waved at the couple then skipped back to the elevator.

"That was your idea, wasn't it, Probie?" Tony asked, glaring at the younger man.

"I...uh...actually...no, no, it was Abby's idea," McGee stuttered as Ziva glared at him as well.

Above them, they heard the door to MTAC slam shut and watched Gibbs march down the stairs.

"Anything, Boss?" Tony asked.

"He's never even heard of Searcy, Arkansas. Born and raised in Boston," Gibbs stated.

"So it's all fake?" McGee asked.

"Ya think, McGee?" Gibbs snapped.

"So, the only question now is 'who is it?'," Ziva said, looking at Gibbs.

"I'm going for coffee," Gibbs stated.

As he passed Tony and Ziva, he slapped both of them on the back of their heads, "I told you to keep it out of the office."

Ziva glared at Tony who just looked at Gibbs with a dumbfounded expression.

* * *

**A.N.: **See! Lot's of changes, right?

Yeah, I explained the Rusty Shackleford thing again.

The Wal-Mart is the real Searcy Wal-Mart. And I am taking some creative license with the way that the prepaid cell phone works.

Now I actually have a plan for where this is going (Thank you, **Cable_Addict**!)...and even _I_ didn't see it coming!

How about that ending, huh? Is the story getting better? Please tell me.

Please review!


	11. Hippocrates

**Chapter 11**

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**Disclaimer: **I don't own NCIS, but I do "own" the other characters.

* * *

**Author's Note:** I think I got one, if any, reviews for my last chapter. Is no one reading it? Am I royally sucking it up? Do you not like it? Or are you there but don't want to review? I'm going to keep writing this even if I get no reviews...just because...the thought that there's someone out there enjoying the story (or someone I'm really pissing off for keeping this going) will always motivate me.

* * *

"_Cure sometimes, treat often, comfort always."_

_- Hippocrates_

* * *

"Ziva," Gibbs barked, "Downstairs, they'll be here soon. I'll be down there soon."

Ziva nodded and went to the breakroom to wait.

When the group came in, they were quieter than they had been the entire time. All of them wore varying degrees of sadness and thought. Syd rushed by with a look that Ziva had put on her own face many times.

Jack chased after her, calling her name; he didn't catch her and she ran into the women's restroom.

"What happened?" Ziva asked him.

"She broke down at the Holocaust Museum."

"It is a very moving museum."

"There was a picture of this executed Romani boy, about our age. She has a cousin who's half-Romani...it looked just like him," Jack said slowly.

Ziva patted his shoulder and walked into the restroom Syd was in.

When she got in, she found Syd slumped against the wall holding her knees close to her chest.

"Are you okay?" Ziva asked.

Syd didn't answer.

"I remember going into the Holocaust Museum for the first time. Every little Jewish girl looked like my sister, every old Jewish couple looked like my grandparents...every face looked like someone I knew," Ziva recalled, sitting beside the girl.

"I...didn't even know about the Romani...I just...I had always heard that Anthony's grandparents were Gypsies...but then I saw that boy and...I can't get that image out of my head. He was just lying there...dead...no one cared...How do you do that to another human? How do you not realize that it's wrong?!" Syd's voice raised a little and then she muted herself with sobs.

"I have asked myself that time and time again," Ziva mumbled.

Syd looked up and they sat there for a while, not saying anything at all. For some reason that she couldn't pinpoint, it made Syd better to hear someone agree with her. Someone else who had saw the living in the dead...well, she assumed that Ziva had saw the living, she didn't know.

"Jack is worried about you," Ziva stated, "He really cares about you."

Syd smiled a little.

Someone on the other side knocked on the door and called, "Syd? Are you okay?"

It was Jack.

"Talk to him. It will help," Ziva offered. Syd nodded and stood up, opening the door.

"Hey, I've, uh, I've got Anthony on my cell. I thought you might want to talk to him...you know...to talk to him," Jack held out his cell phone.

Syd smiled and took the phone from him and walked away.

"That was very good, Jack," Ziva said.

"Yeah, I remember one time I watched a movie where this kid got killed. She looked just like my sister; as soon as I got out of the theater, I called home and said 'Let me talk to Grace'. When I talked to her it made me feel better. It reminded me that it had all been a movie...That it wasn't really Grace, ya know?"

Ziva nodded and walked over to talk to Mrs. Robinson.

She told Mrs. Robinson that Gibbs would be coming down to speak to them about the case, soon. The teachers looked at her strangely, but turned back around quickly. Except for Dustin, who's gaze lingered on her for a moment longer, looking her over from head to toe.

Ziva thought nothing of it and walked away.

She sat down at a table and absentmindedly watched outside the window. She barely registered the scrape of the chair legs as Jack sat down across the table from her. Syd walked over soon and handed Jack his phone.

"Thanks, Jack. I needed that," she said, barely above a whisper.

Jack just smiled and took her hand.

It didn't take long for him to realize that Syd still wasn't back to her normal self. He smiled as he remembered something from the morning.

"Hey, Syd, remember the Ape-Lady from this morning?"

Syd smiled. Ziva turned and gave Jack a strange look, "'Ape-Lady'?"

"Yeah, me and Syd were in the primate house at the National Zoo, this morning. So, we were looking at these gorillas and they were all up playing and climbing and doing gorilla-things...except this one was all layed out in a hammock doing nothing. I pointed at it and said, 'Hey, Syd, look. It's the Ryan-monkey.'. This lady comes out of _nowhere_ and says, 'Actually, that's not a monkey. It's an ape. Notice that it has no tail and is quite a bit larger than a monkey.' or something like that. Then she starts talking about how they can't interbreed. She won't shut up!" Jack explained.

"Yeah, but you were egging her on. 'So, there can't be, like, a _mape_?'" Syd pointed out.

"I had an honest question!" Jack defended, "Anyways, so we try to keep going and everytime we take a step BAM! The lady is _right there_. Telling us facts about monkeys and apes and whatever else...We would try to sneak out with another group, but she'd call us back to tell us something else. _She followed us into the next room_. It was weird."

"You were stalked by an 'Ape-Lady'?" Ziva asked, smirking a little.

"Absolutely," Jack grinned.

"I've had that problem," Tony's voice said.

Ziva felt pressure on the top of her head and her shoulders and she knew that Tony was behind her with his chin on her head and his hands on her shoulders.

"I have no doubt that you have," Ziva replied, leaning back so that she was looking into Tony's green eyes. He leaned down and gave her a light peck on the lips.

"I can tell you the story," he offered.

"No, no, that is fine," she replied.

"Really? It's a good story."

"I am sure that it is, but no."

"No, really. Let me tell it."

"I am better off not knowing, I think."

"Oh, come on, Zee-vah."

As Tony and Ziva bickered, Jack turned back to Syd. He reached down and took her hand and looked into her eyes, searching them for signs of pain. "You sure you're okay?"

"I'm fine, Jack," she smiled. He could tell that she was still hurting a little.

"_Sydney Zane Carter_, tell me the truth," he said.

She grinned a little when he said her whole name, "Jack, I am still a little shaken up by what I saw today. You are too, I can tell. It won't just go away, but its not anything that you can just snap your fingers and it goes away. You've done a lot. I really needed to talk to Anthony, thank you for that. Jack, I swear, its nothing that will come between us. Now, do you promise to stop worrying about me?"

Jack froze. He just looked at her.

"_Jackson Slade Harper_, would you stop worrying about me?" she asked him again.

"You said 'come between us'...there's an 'us' now?" he said.

"There's always been an 'us', Jack. You're one of my best friends," she replied.

"What if I wanted 'us' to be more than best friends?" he asked.

"Jack...what are you getting at?" she asked hesitantly.

"What about giving us dating a shot?" he offered.

"You know I've never really dated before," she said, almost warningly.

"What a better person to start with than your best friend?" he smiled the most charming smile in his arsenal and she couldn't help but smile back.

"Alright, I'll try it."

"You won't be sorry. I promise," he kept smiling and he looked at her with honesty in his eyes.

He leaned in and gave her a soft kiss on the cheek.

Moments later, the elevator pinged and Gibbs marched into the breakroom and gave a look to Tony and Ziva, who jumped up and were at his side within seconds.

Gibbs looked around the room, evaluating who to start with.

It was going to be a rough evening.

* * *

**A.N.: **Yeah, if I had got to spend more than 30 minutes in the Holocaust Museum, I might have reacted a little more motivated. (Stupid band trip schedule) However, stepping into the cattle car that carried Elie Wiesel and he described in the book _Night_, was really moving. As were the shoes. I highly recommend the Holocaust Museum in Washington, DC. It is motivational and you will never look at the time period the same way again. Since going there, everything about the Holocaust just seems more real to me and physically affects me more.

I do have a cousin named Anthony. His grandparents (not on my side of the family) are real Romani Gypsies. We joke with him a lot because he looks like a stereotypical Romani...But we tease my brother, too because he looks like a stereotypical Jewish dude...and a stereotypical Italian. He acts like the stereotypical Italian, too. Has an Italian flag next to his bed, a Scarface poster over his bed, a Scarface cover for his phone, he slicks his hair back and speaks with a bad New Jersey accent...oh, Zach...He dressed as Al Capone for Halloween and looked so much like him that it was pathetic...*sigh*

Ape-Lady is real. It happened to me. Only the guy was my friend, Jeremy, and we called the gorilla 'the Casey-monkey' because Casey was another percussionist in the band and he didn't do anything. He would crawl behind the timpani and sleep.

Okay, guys I totally understand being too busy to review. I've been there. Sucks. I know. But, hey, if you've got the time, please review!

This one is for my friend Emily. She was _so_ excited about giving blood the other day. Absolutely pumped. Talked about it all morning. When she got there, they pricked her finger and told her that her iron was too low. They pricked another finger (on the other hand) to be sure, and her iron was still too low. She came back to class and was absolutely depressed. We were all trying to cheer her up. So this one's for Emily! I don't think low iron will keep you out of the police academy, good luck on becoming a police dog!


	12. Roger Penrose

**Chapter 12**

**Disclaimer: **I still don't own NCIS...I probably won't ever own NCIS.

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**Author's Note: **Doncha hate writers' block?

* * *

"_People think of these eureka moments and my feeling is that they tend to be little things, a little realization and then a little realization built on that."_

_- Roger Penrose_

* * *

"Gibbs!" Abby shouted, running to the edge of the room and frantically motioning for him to come over to her.

"What is it, Abs?" he growled.

Her waves just became more frantic; so he complied and walked over to Abby and asked, "What?"

"You might not have to interview them, Gibbs!"

"_Might not _?" Gibbs asked.

"Yeah, presuming the writer didn't have someone else write the letter for him, we should be able to match their handwriting," Abby said, excitedly.

"What if they purposely masked their handwriting?"

"I'll work with Ducky; we can tell," Abby said assured of herself.

"If you say so, Abs," Gibbs shrugged, walking back into the group.

"DiNozzo, get everyone a pen and a piece of paper. Ziva, get me a dry erase board and a marker," Gibbs ordered his agents out.

Within moments they had returned. Tony began passing out the paper and pens to everyone in the room and Ziva set the dry erase board up behind Gibbs and handed him the marker.

"Alright, listen up!" Gibbs demanded and the room jumped up to watch him. He turned to the board and began writing; when he turned around, he gave another order, "Write the passage that I've written on the board. Don't worry about writing neatly. Write it like you would write a letter."

Everyone quickly copied down the paragraph and looked up for further orders.

"Now, write down your name on the back and line up. Hand your papers to DiNozzo and let Ziva get your picture," Gibbs demanded.

Everyone complied. Once they had finished, Ziva placed the memory card from the camera on top of the pile of papers in DiNozzo's hands.

"DiNozzo, get those down to Ducky and Abby in her lab," Gibbs ordered.

Tony rushed off to the elevator with the papers and card.

"Ziva, put this board back where you found it," Gibbs demanded and Ziva complied.

**~*~ Three Hours Later~*~**

Gibbs strode into Abby's lab, walking up behind the forensic scientist and the coroner.

"What've you got?" he asked.

"Gibbs!" Abby shouted, spinning around.

"Yeah, Abs,?" he looked at her expectantly.

"We've narrowed it down to three possibilities," Abby said with a gigantic smile.

"And those are?" Gibbs asked standing in front of the plasma and Ducky came to stand beside him while Abby brought up three of the handwriting samples and the original.

Abby pulled up the first one and matched up some of the letters, "They aren't an _exact _fit," she said.

"Who is it?" Gibbs asked.

"Tom Gray," Ducky said, as Abby pulled up a picture of the student.

Gibbs nodded, "Who else?"

Abby pulled up another sampled, "This one is much closer."

"Who?"

Ducky answered as Abby pulled up another photo, "Jem Lee."

"The last one is the closest match. Not perfect, but pretty darn close," Abby said, pulling up the last sample. It was almost a perfect match.

"Who's that?" Gibbs asked, turning to Ducky.

"Dustin Walker," Ducky replied as Abby brought up the younger man's photo.

Gibbs glared at the screen as Abby put all three photos side-by-side. "Now I know who I need to talk to. Thanks, Duck."

"Not at all, Jethro," Ducky brushed off the praise with a laughing smile.

"Whaddabout me?" Abby pouted.

"Thanks, Abs," Gibbs smirked, kissing Abby's forehead and producing a Caff-Pow from, seemingly, nowhere. She greedily took it from him and threw him a big grin.

~*~*~

Gibbs stormed into the bullpen and looked at his agents, "McGee, take Jem Lee into Interrogation Room 1. DiNozzo, take Tom Gray into Interrogation Room 2. Ziva, take Dustin Walker into Interrogation Room 3," he demanded before marching up to the director's office.

The three ran down to find who they were after.

~*~*~

Gibbs stormed past the reception area and Cynthia did not even try to stop him. She had learned better than that by now.

He entered Jenny's office and slammed the heavy, metal door behind him.

"Special Agent Gibbs," Jenny said in a cold, professional voice without even looking up from her paper work.

"I thought you said they wouldn't be any trouble, _Director_," he spat.

"What's happened?" she jerked her head up and searched his icy blue eyes.

"Trouble," was all that Gibbs said as he sat down across the desk from her.

"What's going on, Jethro, is this about the case?"

"Oh, its about the case alright," Gibbs hinted.

"_Special Agent Gibbs_," she growled, her voice returning from friend to boss in a split-second.

"One of them did it, Jen," he said, looking her in the eyes; watching for a reaction.

"How do you know?"

"Evidence."

"What evidence?"

"The cell phone that we connected to the false I.D. was bought in Arkansas. Not far from where they're from."

"It could have been someone from their school trying to attack them."

"The letters were mailed from Arlington; it was someone on this trip."

"Do you know who?" Jenny asked, resigning herself to the ever-present fact that Jethro was right about the suspect.

"Abby and Ducky did handwriting analysis to narrow it down to three."

"Who?"

"One student and two teachers; all male."

"_Who?_" Jenny pressed again.

"Tom Gray, Jem Lee, and Dustin Walker. I've got the team going to get them."

"What are you going to do."

"Let them take care of it. They're adults; they can do an interrogation."

"Leroy Jethro Gibbs sit out an interrogation?" Jenny asked in disbelief.

Gibbs just mumbled a reply and gave her a little smirk.

* * *

**A.N.: **I think I'm on a roll now! The next chapters will be McGee, Tony, and Ziva bringing in/ interrogating the suspects. Anyone (other than Cable_Addict) think they know who it is?

I would have had this up earlier today, but my papa had hip surgery so we spent all evening at the hospital...and then we went to Zaxby's, not a total loss. Speaking of which, can anyone tell me if NCIS is going to be new next week? That would be very much appreciated!

* * *


	13. Max Frisch

**DISCLAIMER: **I do not own _NCIS. _Duh.

* * *

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: **I know I haven't updated this in a LOOOOOOOOONG time. To be honest, I didn't think that anyone was reading it, so I gave up. Then I thought, I made it this far, might as well finish it up.

* * *

"_Jealousy is the fear of comparison." - Max Frisch_

* * *

McGee rushed into the breakroom and glanced around, looking for Jem. He wasn't anywhere in the room. McGee reached over and tapped Mr. Anderson on the shoulder and asked, "Have you seen Mr. Lee?"

Mr. Robinson took the ink pen he was chewing on out of his mouth and mumbled, "Yeah, that pigtail girl came in and asked if anyone could help her install some program on her computer."

"Abby," McGee said under his breath then he thanked Mr. Anderson and ran to Abby's lab.

The elevator doors slid open and McGee ran into Abby's lab and found her sitting at a table with Jem and they were both looking at a laptop on the table top.

"Abby, what's going on?" McGee asked.

"Oh, hey, Timmy! I was just having Jem help me install this new program on my computer. I tried a few times, but it kept doing hinky stuff so I decided to ask for help!"

"I could have done that for you, Abby."

"I know, but you were so busy and Jem is a computer teacher and programmer so I knew he could help."

"Abby," McGee hissed, "he is a suspect."

"Aww, come on, Timmy! Look at this face!" Abby grabbed Jem's head and swiveled it around to face McGee, "He couldn't kill anyone!"

"We don't know that, Abby; that's why I need to talk to him."

"In interrogation?" Abby asked.

McGee nodded.

"Timmy!" Abby whined.

"Abby, you know we have to. You analyzed his handwriting yourself!"

"I know, but Timmy, he's so sweet!" she grabbed McGee's arm and pulled him closer to her, "He reminds me of you," she whispered.

McGee slowly stood back up, blushing.

"Jem, Timmy needs to talk to you," Abby said, tapping the younger man's shoulder.

"You mean interrogate me. Its okay. I watch _CSI..._and my sister works in the state crime lab," Jem shrugged, standing up, "If I don't have anything to hide, I won't have a problem."

"Yeah," McGee mumbled, escorting Jem from the room and into an interrogation room.

They sat in the interrogation room for a few minutes until Jem asked, "So are you going to be interrogating me?"

"Me? No. I'm just waiting until Special Agent Gibbs comes in. He's our master interrogator...him and Ziva, but trust me, you don't want to get interrogated by Ziva," McGee replied.

"So, how long will it take Special Agent Gibbs?" Jem asked.

"Don't know."

"Ah."

"So, you were just helping Abby?"

"Yeah, she wasn't interested in any of my offers."

"Offers?"

"Movies. Dinner. Nothing."

"Hunh."

"Yeah, she said that she's taken."

"Abby isn't dating anyone."

"Not dating, _per say_, more like...smitten."

"Smitten? By who?"

Jem sat back and grinned, "Obviously not me."

McGee looked at him oddly and leaned over the table, "Who?"  
"You know."

"I do?"

"I hope so!"

"Who?"

"You really don't get it, do you?"

"...No."

"She is head-over-heels for you, Special Agent McGee."

"Are you just saying that?"

"Why would I?"

"I don't trust you."

"I know that. I know that you won't believe it until you hear her say it...I also know that you still don't think that I'm innocent. I am. That's no who I am. I don't want people's attention. I like to sit back and not be noticed. I also didn't want to spend my trip locked up in a government office building. If I wanted that, I would have taken a job at DIS," Jem smiled.

McGee chuckled a little. Jem had a good point. McGee looked over at the younger man and said, "You know, I'm starting to believe you."

* * *

**A.N.: **So, what do you think? Is it back? Do you like Jem? He's a sweet guy.


	14. Michael Landon

**Disclaimer: **Sooooo....still don't own it.

* * *

**Author's Note: **This is a short one, so, yeah. Hey, and it was a while between me writing some of this so if there's a little something that isn't congruent...just ignore it, please.

* * *

"_Boy, you gotta be real sick to get this much attention." - Michael Landon_

* * *

Tony left soon after McGee and had to wait on the elevator that was apparently going down to Abby's lab, he groaned, "Come on, Probie, can't you go one hour without seeing your nerdy crush?"

Finally, the elevator arrived and Tony got in and headed down to the breakroom.

"Tom?" Tony called out. A boy with sandy hair stood up and looked at him with dull green eyes.

"You feeling okay, kid?" Tony asked, walking over to where Tom was sitting.

Tom squeezed his eyes shut tight and made an awful face before looking up at Tony, "Yeah, yeah, I'm fine."

"You sure?"

"Yeah, I-" Tom was cut off as he puked on the floor at Tony's feet. "Oh, god, I'm so sorry. I'm sick."

"Yeah, I kinda figured that," Tony said, grimacing, "Come with me."

Tony led Tom down to the morgue and had him sit in a chair. He walked over to Ducky and said, "Ducky, the kid's sick. He puked all over the breakroom. Anything you can do?"

"Oh, dear," Ducky said, walking over to where Tom was sitting.

"What seems to be the problem, my dear boy?" Ducky asked.

Tom threw up into a nearby trash can before looking up at Ducky, "I have Crohn's disease. Its mostly in my esophagus-" at that he began vomiting again.

"I don't know that there's anything I can do for that," Ducky sighed, "I can give you some medicine to settle your stomach, but it will only be temporary and will make you very drowsy. You should find some place to lie down."

Ducky stepped away from the boy and began rummaging through a cabinet.

Tony followed him, "Ducky, I'm supposed to be taking him to an interrogation room to wait for Gibbs."

"I'm sorry, Tony, but in his state I think his best interests are to take the medicine and sleep for a while. This boy is in no condition to be interrogated by Gibbs," Ducky explained, pulling a bottle from the cabinet.

Tony grimaced and nodded, "Can you keep him down here then? So I'll know where he is when Gibbs asks?"

"I'm sure that can be arranged," Ducky replied, patting Tony on the arm.

Tony walked back over to Tom, "Hey, Tom, Ducky's gonna find you somewhere down here to get some sleep. I hope that the next time I see you, you don't puke all over my shoes," he smiled at the boy who weakly smiled back.

Then Ducky came and handed Tom some medicine and bid Tony goodbye.

Just as Tony got into the hallway, his cellphone rang, "DiNozzo."

"DiNozzo, where the hell are you?" It was Gibbs.

"My kid got sick and puked all over the floor. I took him down to Ducky's; he's got Crohn's disease of the esophagus. I don't think he did it, Boss."

"Have you seen Ziva?"

Tony scrunched his brows together in concern, "She's not back yet?"

"Would I be asking if she were?"

"...Where do you think she is?"

"I sent her to get Dustin Walker and she never came back. No one knows where he is, either."

"Damn it!" Tony shouted hanging up his phone. He knew who was really behind this entire ordeal and he knew why.

* * *

**A.N.: **Now its getting obvious, I know.

By the way, the character Tom is based on a friend of mine who also has Chron's disease in his esophagus...just throwing that out there.

Review please, this is for you after all. *wink*


	15. Francois de La Rochefoucauld

**Disclaimer: **Still don't own _NCIS_...alas, 'tis true!

* * *

**Author's Note: **Soooo...this pretty much gives it away. I like this chapter. It is dramatic and sets up the scene for a dramatic-well, I'm not going to tell you, that would give it away.

* * *

"_Jealousy lives upon doubts. It becomes madness or ceases entirely as soon as we pass from doubt to __certainty." - __Francois de La Rochefoucauld _

* * *

Ziva took the stairs down to the breakroom and looked around for Dustin, but didn't find him so she asked Jessie where he had gone.

Jessie thought for a moment before saying, "He was gonna go down to the gym to work out."

Ziva thanked him and headed down to the basement where the NCIS gym was. As she walked down the hallway to the gym, she passed the door to the evidence garage and noticed that the door was slightly open.

She paused in front of the door. It shouldn't be open. If it were open, someone was inside. No one was supposed to be inside.

She pushed the door open a little further and stepped into the garage and looked around. There was a light on in one of the evidence cages. "Hello?" she called out. No one answered.

She reached down and touched her gun, just to assure herself that she could get to it quickly; then she walked slowly toward the light. From inside, she could see the shadow of someone digging through evidence boxes.  
"Who's there?" she called again.

Still no reply. She stepped into the doorway and the shadow lunged for her. He covered her nose and mouth with a rag and she felt her vision blurring. He was drugging her. Who was he? Why wasn't she fighting back? She swung out at him, but just fell forward onto his chest. Then her vision went completely black and she fell in a heap onto the concrete floor.

* * *

He moved quickly; hiding her behind a pile of discarded evidence boxes and locking the door to the evidence cage. Then he pulled her gun out of its holster and checked the magazine. He was ready, it was only a matter of time before her boyfriend came down to save her, but that wasn't going to work. He was ready. If he couldn't have Ziva, no one could.

* * *

Tony remembered hearing Jessie tell Ziva that Dustin was in the gym; he ran to the stairs and flew down them two or three at a time. He ran into the gym and looked around. No one was here. But he had to be here! Where was he? Tony ran the length of the gym, checked every toilet stall and shower. There wasn't a soul in the gym. He picked up a medicine ball and threw it at the wall shouting, "Son of a bitch!" He kicked the door to the gym as he stepped out of it and noticed something strange across the hall. The door to the evidence garage was open. That door shouldn't be open...

* * *

**A.N.: **Okay, so I know that you can see what's coming next...right?


	16. Erika Eleniak

**Disclaimer: **You know the drill. I don't think I'll ever own it.

* * *

**Author's Note: **This is a bit more dramatic than the rest of the story...so here's a light-hearted quote.

* * *

_"He is in a gunfight right now. I'm gonna have to take a message." - Erika Eleniak_

* * *

Tony opened the door a little more and looked into the garage and saw a light on in an evidence locker. "Ziva? Is that you?" he called out. No one replied. He took a few more steps toward the cage.

"Hey! Who's in there?!" Still no reply.

Tony reached down and pulled out his gun and slowly walked toward the cage, "Hey! You! Come out!"

No one came out. Tony saw a shadow move a little, he walked toward the cage more.

Finally, he was standing right in front of the door. "Hey, Dustin, I know you're in there. Just let Ziva out."

"I'm afraid she can't do that right now, Special Agent DiNozzo," Dustin grinned sickly standing up from a crouched position.

"Why can't she?" Tony demanded.

Dustin grinned again, "She fainted. I have that effect on women."

"I doubt that," Tony grimaced, "Where is she?"  
"She's fine back here with me, don't worry. I take good care of her."

"I'm having trouble believing that, Dustin," Tony replied.

"I can't imagine why," he replied with a laugh in his voice.

"You know, I could just come in there and get her," Tony warned.

"Oh?"

"Yeah."

"So, you're saying that you could take me?" Dustin taunted.

"Well, I've got a little help that you haven't got," Tony said, pulling his gun from behind his back.

"You so sure about that?" Dustin asked, lifting Ziva's gun so that Tony could see it.

"I've still got something that you don't have," Tony chided.

"Oh yeah? What?"

"The balls to actually shoot someone."

A vein popped out on Dustin's neck and his face turned bright red in anger.

"Say that again," he growled at Tony.

"You don't have the balls to shoot me. You can't even win a girl, why should I think that you could shoot so-"

Tony's words were cut off by a deafening crack as Dustin pulled the trigger.

"Ungh!" Tony shouted as the bullet grazed his right elbow. Blood poured down his arm and pooled on the floor below him.

"You just made a big mistake, jackass," Tony said with a manic smirk, "I could kill you now and no one would say shit."

Dustin's eyes shot open wide, "No."

"Give me three reasons."

"I've got her in here."

"You're not just a jackass, you're a dumbass, too. I could unlock the door, no problem." Tony trained his gun on Dustin's chest.

Dustin fell to his knees and dropped the gun, "Please, man, please. Don't kill me. Please, don't kill me."

Just as Dustin began to sob, Gibbs and McGee ran into the garage, guns drawn. The came to stand beside Tony, who was beginning to wobble back and forth a little.

McGee glanced over and saw the crimson streak across Tony's arm and said, "Boss."

"Not now, McGee," Tony and Gibbs replied simultaneously.

Gibbs went to the evidence cage and unlocked the door. He burst in and jerked Dustin off the ground and slapped handcuffs onto his wrists, leading him out of the locker and out of the garage.

Tony rushed in and found Ziva. He picked her up and held her tightly to him, stroking her hair and crying just a little. He would never let her out of his sight again.

"McGee, call an ambulance!" Tony ordered.

"Already on their way," McGee responded.

Tony shot the younger man a grateful smile and watched him open the bay doors of the garage so that the ambulance could pull in.

EMT's rushed to Ziva and lifted her onto a stretcher. They wheeled her into an ambulance and began to check her vitals.

"Excuse me, sir," a timid young EMT addressed Tony.

"Yeah?"

"We should take a look at your arm, it'll probably need stitches. It looks pretty bad."

"Can I go in the ambulance with her?"

"I don't see why not."

"Will I be in the way?"

"Not if you don't cause a scene."

"I'll go. McGee, tell Gibbs."

McGee nodded as Tony followed the blond young man into the ambulance and it sped away.

* * *

**A.N.: **So, there you have it. Showdown! One more chapter and then I'm calling it done. Whaddiya think?


	17. Lao Tzu The End

**Disclaimer: **It's been 17 chapters and I _still_ don't own it!

* * *

**Author's Note: **The final chapter. I know it is very short, but I think it gets the job done. Also, the fact that I started with a Lao Tzu quote and ended with a Lao Tzu quote was completely unplanned.

* * *

"_Being deeply loved by someone gives you strength, while loving someone deeply gives you courage." - Lao Tzu _

* * *

Two days later, Tony stood over a hospital bed as Ziva's eyes fluttered open for the first time since that day in the evidence locker.

"Hey," Tony whispered, a relieved smile washing over his features.

"Hey," she replied, looking around the room, "How long was I out?"

"Two days."

"Anything good happen?"

"Well, we arrested Dustin; the kids went back to Arkansas, they wanted to tell you 'thanks', by the way, especially Syd; ummm...Probie and Abby went on a date...I assume that went well because he was in an annoyingly good mood this morning...I think that's about it."

"Tony, what happened to your arm?" she asked, motioning toward the bandage that covered his elbow.

"Oh, just the usual. Took a bullet in the arm saving the woman I love from a maniac who wanted to claim her as his own," Tony smiled.

"He shot you?" she asked, eyes opening wide and she tried to sit up.

He put a hand on her shoulder and pushed her back down on the bed, "Just a graze. Took some stitches, that was all. I had worse things happen to me when I was playing football."

"Why does that not make me feel any better?"

"Because you know that football is a very violent sport and I tend to go gung-ho into every thing that I do?" Tony offered.

"I do not fully understand what 'gung ho' means, but yes, I believe that is why I am not surprised."

"I'm really glad you're okay, Zee. I don't know what I would have done without you...died, I guess," Tony sighed, taking her hand and sitting down.

"Do not worry yourself with stuff like that, Tony. We're both here. We're fine. We have our whole lives ahead of us. The world is out clam."

"Oyster. You know, because of the pearl," Tony smiled, kissing her knuckles.

She smiled a little more, "Whatever."

"I just want to make sure that you know I love you," he smiled.

"How could I forget?" she laughed, "I love you, too, Tony."

He leaned over and kissed her and with that kiss he promised that as long as he was around, no one would lay a hand on her ever again.

**THE END**

* * *

**A.N.: **I just want to thank you all for reading and reviewing this story, even after I gave up on it. You guys were persistant and made me ressurect this one. Thanks.

Also, a BIG thanks goes to (who else) **Cable_Addict **you are my hero. Word.


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